GE adding another 100 jobs and doubling battery plant capacity

General Electric Co. this morning announced a $70 million expansion of its new Schenectady battery manufacturing plant that will double output and boost employment by 100 jobs to 450 people when it’s at full output. The announcement came as the company’s chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, visits the plant this morning for its official opening.

The company already has invested $100 million, while the state of New York provided an additional $15 million and Schenectady County’s Metroplex Development Authority committed $5 million.

The new Durathon batteries the plant will produce are half the size of conventional lead acid batteries but last 10 times as long, GE said. The technology was developed at GE’s Global Research Center in Niskayuna.

The company expects the business to grow to $1 billion in revenues in coming years, as customers ranging from telecoms and transportation to utilities purchase the new technology.

“This is how GE does ‘startups’ – putting our researchers, manufacturing talent and commercial teams to work to create technology that serves customer needs around the world,” Immelt said. “GE Energy Storage was born in New York’s Capital Region from an idea that we turned into an advanced manufacturing plant and a global business that we expect will generate more than $1 billion in revenue annually in just a few years.

“We’ll continue to expand the business into new areas beyond telecommunications to build the next generation of energy-efficient buses, locomotives and mining vehicles around the world,” he added.

Megatron Federal, a Johannesburg, South Africa, signed a purchase agreement for 6,000 of the batteries, to be delivered in 2013. The value of the contract was $60 million.

The batteries will be used to ensure that telecom networks in Nigeria operate without interruption. The new batteries will cut fuel consumption from diesel generators by up to half, GE said.

19 Responses

Bamster, better hope that you never get sick, lose your job, employer provided healthcare, and have to depend on the Repub’s version of health care for the destitute, which is die soon and don’t bother me with your problems, this is a dog eat dog world; I got mine so too bad for you. Oh, Bamster you must be part of the 1% so you don’t have to worry. I’m not a 1%er, but Itoo have employer provided healthcare but I’m not an selfish A hole about it.

Well see, I have a very close freind who is a production manager at the plant, they have not produced a single one correctly through automation, requires each one built by hand. My other close friend in Turbines says they will not let the “old school” guys who know how, to make things work, even walk in the door of that building and they are forbidden access. New guys are hourly wage, non union very unskilled labor hires. well see if they can produce

Because after all, it makes a ton of sense for GE to commit to building something than screwing it up completely–is that your point,Hopeful? And all your friends walked in the first day as completely skilled workers, right?

Hopeful…the “old school” guys were grandfathered in at the old wages in exchange for voting in the battery plant with all new starting wages at $15/hr. with no pensions. You think the company wants them milling around in the battery plant?? May cause slightly hard feelings no?
Elmer….try not to use GE and “sense” in the same sentence…they (Jack & Jeff) put GE in such a precarious situation , they had to recieve government bailouts in 08 a total of 12 times totaling $16 billion to keep the company afloat.

With all the handouts and tax breaks GE gets it is probably CHEAPER to manufacture in Schenectady than sending it off to China. Since they are creating such a green product they don’t have to give any green taxes – makes sense! Its amazing how broke NYS and Schenectady have to give charity to a MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION! Seems it should be the other way around! Meanwhile homeowners are being raped with crazy taxes.

These jobs probably start at around $12, and wages will top out at probably 17bucks, with bare bones benefits and no pensions. You also get to be exposed to hazardous chemicals and battery guts all day. I would rather flip burgers than take that kind of pay for that work. I know people who work in retail as managers and make more than that. GE resells these products for serious profit, so the CEO can buy a new Gulfstream.

When Henry Ford started the assembly line, he wanted every employee to be able to afford his products and make a comfortable living.
We have to accept that in 2012 everything is going up, except paychecks, which actually decrease. Take a walk around Price Chopper and see how far $12 will get you. Prices are ridiculous.

Len, your shot hit the target dead center, GE getting away with this type of corporate welfare combined with CEOs and a few chosen few others is enough to make anyone sick.
The press treating this type of corporate behavior without any criticism or facts stated is really a problem.
Notice how Mr. job creator when he comes to this area to portray himself as a savior never has a press conference, always talks about what a great area this is but never gets asked why he as a GE corporate leader while working for Jack never gets asked why they tore apart Schenectady GE over the period of 20 to 30 years.
What changed your attitude towards Schenectady Jeff, was it now being able to have cheap labor while your salary increases three fold, was it the government handouts while your salary climbs.
Press where are you????

It is what it is Victor…the vote was 785 – 363 to accept. All new hires start $10/hr less while current employees wages were kept at current levels and also early retirement incentives were offered.There was tremendous pressure from local politicians and also these 350 new bettery plant hires would be DUES PAYING members so the Union execs touted it also. But hey…there was JOB creation!.Try ever buying a house or raising a family at $15/hr

Len…Immelts biggest accomplishment of all is his ability to retain his job. He was caught totally unaware GE Capital was about to drag the company into the abyss The dividend was cut from .31 to .10.Stock plummeted to $6, Buffett got a sweetheat deal beacuse GE was desparate for 3.5 billion cash, and the Fed had to buy GE’s commercial paper 12 times. But as you said Jeff …you wont apologize for going global !!. You and Jack devastated manufacturing and turned the company into a big bank which almost brought GE down. You’ve had 12 years to turn the company around yet the shareholders keep listening to your line of crap and offer you bonuses…raises…stock options saying they have to award this to retain top talent ! Maybe they think youre still going through a breakin period ???

“never gets asked why he as a GE corporate leader while working for Jack never gets asked why they tore apart Schenectady GE over the period of 20 to 30 years.”

Stop, you’re killing me. First, 30 years ago Immelt was barely out of business school, so i don’t think he was at Welch’s right hand. More to the point, GE was already a shell of itself by the 1990′s is Schenectady.

I don’t get what you want. You want manufacturing jobs, you got manufacturing jobs. Today’s manufacturing jobs, not 1950′s.

If your getting killed Elmer let me put you out of your misery, Jeff is the one touting Schenectady as this great place to now do business and expand manufacturing operations. Why now???
It is just a simple question that he will not have a press conference to answer when he comes to town and acts like he is a jobs savior, when he was just out of business school as you state climbing the ladder he as was the case with any other corporate leader in GE had no problem watching Schenectady get blown away by HIS mentor’s attitude that manufacturing in Schenectady should die.
Why is it so great now, could it be the decisions that were complete mistakes as far as workforce cures with cheap labor did not work out in other countries as well as they thought, that getting out of manufacturing and putting all of the eggs in the GE Capital basket did not work to his incompetent liking, stock falling to 5.85 a share in late 2008 and early 2009.
Yeah he really now believes that Schenectady is the place to be, sure why not, government handouts, cut rate manufacturing jobs that will do nothing to stimulate a economy ruined by financial business decisions initiated by him and his GE Capital thought process 5 years ago.
When he comes to town to tout his decisions as to how lucky Schenectady is that he decided to expand a battery plant then have a press conference and answer questions unprepared from the press who should ask why now Jeffie.
Read no.12 again Elmer that sums it up much better than I can.

Wait, wait wait! Hold on a second! Isn’t this the same Jeffery Immelt who our President Obama appointed chairman of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness?
Guess who’s buttering whose bread here?
Isn’t this the same GE that found tax shelter in order to decrease the amount of US taxes it paid?
I ask again, who’s buttering whose bread?
The corrupt politicians and corrupt corporations are going to bring this country to its knees. And we sheep are to blame for allowing it to happen.

I bet GE has a lobby machine at the state and Fed level to create “energy breaks” that in reality will benefit a handful of companies (and their top execs). Take a look at your NYS tax booklet, it is peppered with credits for doing green things. If GE installs solar at their campus, you can bet it was paid for with tax dollars. And their focus on renewable energy there (even the better paid engineers)….and the new factory to create BATTERIES (all from your local social service office!) Maybe I’m wrong, we have a government that truly loses sleep over our environment! This all sounds great but we are subsidizing Corporate America with our hard earned dollars.

Seriously, if GE gets gov’t money, there should be austerity measures for the CEO. Let them cap his salary to even $1mil. Cut down some of the top level expenses that are unnecessary. I have nothing against him making 1 billion dollars, but hell – don’t take my money!

This is a worse model than Soviet Russia, where the Govt just ran all the industries. I doubt there were people paid anywhere near what a modern CEO makes.

So – the difference between the welfare mama with her EBT card living in Mt. Pleasant buying yummy junk food in Savalot for her kids is not much different from Immelt creating a few jobs. Immelt becomes the job czar, and finds ways to get the “social service office” to give him his bennies. Now he gets a free factory, cheap workers, and a great public relations boost. The money all comes from the same pot. I’ll go even a step further to mention that lady who went to jail for welfare fraud, was making $100K and had two nice cars, a house, boat, etc and collected welfare. Why can’t Immelt pitch in a few million? If I made what he made last year I would never have to work another day in my life. Should a corporation get handouts and have a CEO making $12 mil/yr (probably triple that in hidden perks and staff).

Try telling the city of sch that you can’t pay all of your taxes. I bet your rear will be on the street as soon as legally possible.

GE really has nothing to lose, in the worse case they abandon ship there and Schenectady is holding the bag.

Who really benefits from all of this? Open up the GE shareholder annual report and its as clear as day. The guy who makes the batteries $15/hr. The guy who designs the batteries $35/hr. The guy who sells the batteries $90/hr. The CEO who puts it all together (priceless) ($3000/hr).

I know some will say this is crucial to Schenectady, they improve Erie Blvd, downtown, etc. This is a Potemkin effort though. The problem is that without real wages people are in real trouble. To live decently in Sch (not the ghetto) with a family you are probably looking at $900-$1000 in rent, and probably more with a mortgage and taxes( I almost fell off my chair when I heard what taxes cost).
Add the necessitates of modern life, cable, car/gas to commute, internet, family cellphones and data plans, food shopping and you are bringing things below the wire. Even for engineers working in GE, you consider that some have close to 6 figure student debt, and even 60-70K don’t sound that great. If you compare take home pay with the debts and taxes you are approaching the factory worker pay.

Now, as the city beautifies itself prices are only going to increase, while Immelt keeps wages flat-lined. Manufacturing is a tough job with exposure to industrial toxins, physical injury, etc. These workers deserve union protection and fair wages. They should have the best health care and benefits. I assure you that GE wouldn’t fail if that was provided to them, it is just their profit would be lower.

However, they are being hired like 16yo mall food court workers, welcome to the new 2012 economy.